A Whole New Perspective
by Seena
Summary: What goes on in the mind of a certian Tomb Robber? This is his look on how things went in the Duelist Kingdom...
1. The Castle, Part 1: Life, Liberty, and ...

A Whole New Perspective  
By: Seena  
  
Chapter 1: The Castle, Part 1 - Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Mokuba  
  
  
A.N. I constantly wonder what goes through people's heads. I especially wonder what goes through the head of someone like Yami Bakura. So, I decided that because I was most likely never going to get an official response telling me his every thought (and that would be too long to read, anyway; the guy's a few millennia old, do you have any clue how many thoughts he must have had over all that time?), I'd do the next-best thing - make a fanfiction! This is my interpretation of what Yami Bakura was thinking at various times during the show. Basically, the events as he sees them. (I hope this turns out better than it sounds!)  
  
On a sidenote, even though it goes against my nature, I'm going to be using the American names (blah!), because I only have access to the english dialogue. *snaps fingers*  
  
While I know I should be starting at the Shadow Realm Duel, or possibly a little before then, (ideally, I'd start with Monster World in season 1, but I'm still in the process of trying to get the footage (which isn't in the US at ALL...), so I don't know if I'll EVER get around to doing that; all I have is about three minutes and twelve seconds of a video clip, and a few pictures with chinese subtitles (which my friend Victor translated for me, thanks Victor!), which isn't enough for a chapter) but I'll be skipping around. I'll most likely have to reorder the chapters sometime, but whatever!  
  
Please review!  
  
Disclaimer: Oh, darn. I hate these things. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!. I don't own any of its associated characters, either... I don't own much of anything. *looks depressed*. I also don't get any money for doing this (or anything else, for that matter). Life sucks.  
  


~~~~~~~~~~  


  
It was like floating and falling at the same time. I hated it.   
  
At least I didn't have a physical body. For once, I was grateful for this; the Reaper of Cards' scythe when right through me. It didn't even hurt, really. I remember the look of confusion on what you would call his after about twenty passes of his weapon, he finally gave up, going to search for easier prey.  
  
After some time, effort, and energy, I was able to transport myself back to the Shadow Realm. A fat lot of good THAT did me, but at least I didn't have to bother with mild annoyances like the Reaper anymore.   
  
And so now, here I was, floating just like I had been for the last few thousand years or so. It was impossible to tell time, really. Minutes dragged by like hours - what, did you think the days would pass quickly in a place like that? - and I fell into a circle of anger and despair with the world and with myself.  
  
If only the stupid Pharaoh of the puzzle hadn't cheated, if only my stupid Hikari hadn't betrayed me... if only the match had been fair and honourable...  
  
If only got me no where. It didn't matter anymore, I was here, and it wasn't going to change. Life - if that's what you wanted to call it - sucked.  
  
I down and started pondering all of the different ways I could torture Yugi once I finally found a way to break the seal that bound me to the Shadow Realm. I thought of a million plans to get the Millennium Items, none better than the last. I thought of-  
  
Something shifted.  
  
My eyes opened wide with surprise. The seal hadn't been _broken_, exactly... but there was a slight hole, a portal, if you will, connecting the Shadow Realm with the real world. I could sense it.  
  
I looked around wildly. Now was my chance to escape, now might be the only opportunity I would get for a long while...  
  
I spotted the portal, which, surprisingly, wasn't particularly far away. As the portal widened, a strange man in brown robes fell through from the other side. _That man... he's dressed as a Duelist from MY time!_ I realized with shock.  
  
I didn't have too much time to ponder the man or the situation, however. The portal would only stay open for a few seconds more...  
  
That was all I needed.  
  


~~~~~~~~~~  


  
I wasn't entirely sure WHERE I was; while it wasn't the Shadow Realm, it didn't look like the real world, either. I looked around quickly - though no one could see me, of course, as I had no body - and took note of my surroundings. The floor and walls and ceiling were all made of smooth, polished stone, and on one wall hung a painting of a golden-haired lady.   
  
  
On the other side of the room stood many more Duelists, who were dressed from my era as well. A silver-haired man - Pegasus, I believe his name was - was clad in similar clothing, but what intrigued me most about him was that, in the place of his left socket, he wore the Millennium Eye.   
  
He was busy babbling something about sealing souls - as if that was a special talent that only HE possessed, hmph! - at three intruders; one of whom which was my host! What a wonderful turn of events this was. I didn't even need to go looking for Ryou anymore.  
  
_Well, if Pegasus plans on stealing the souls of my host and his comrades, he has something coming to him. He's certainly in for a surprise..._  
  
Wasting no time, I took advantage of the situation, diving back into the Millennium Ring without a moment's hesitation. _Now that my soul was directly connected with my source of power, saving Ryou and his friends shouldn't be difficult..._  
  
After taking a quick moment to adjust, I summoned forward the Millennium Ring, taking over Ryou's body in the process. He seemed... surprised that I had somehow returned, though he made no move to resist me. _Gods, he really _is_ desperate..._ I thought.  
  
Ah, possessing a body once again felt so _good_! I couldn't resist letting out a slight chuckle as I raised my head and looked Pegasus in the eyes. Change of plans. I informed him.  
  
_What's this? I sense a dark soul within your Ring!_  
  
Although he didn't speak the words, I could hear them clearly enough. I realized then that we were inside his mind, in his Soul Room.   
  
But that didn't matter now... we'd be returning to the real world soon enough...  
  
You may indeed sense me now, but you won't remember any of this later. I responded evenly as light poured forth from my Millennium Item. Pulling more energy from my Ring, I cried, ERASE THEIR MINDS!  
  
And with a flash of light, the Ring did just that.  
  
With a second flash of light, we were gone.  


  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  


The Ring was still glowing, giving off a golden light. Ryou was still aware of my presence, but that didn't matter. He wouldn't talk.  
  
I sat on the edge of Ryou's bed, rather tired from exerting so much energy, when I didn't have that much in the first place. But my worries were far from my mind. I had a new target...  
  
You cannot hide from me, Pegasus. You're Millennium Eye... will soon be mine.  
  
Laughing to myself, I retreated into my Ring, content to make plans for tomorrow, and let Ryou reassume control of his body.   


  
~~~~~~~~~~  


  
I was still in the process of recovering my energy from my stay in the Shadow Realm's graveyard - I was mostly done, actually - only half-paying attention to my Hikari's conversation. I knew Yugi's duel was about to start; I didn't particularly care, but I figured I should root through Ryou's memory later, to find out some more information on Yugi's cards and strategy. In the meantime, I laid on the makeshift bed in my Soul Room, listening to the distant voices of my host and his friends above me.  
  
Tristan, where are you going? That was Ryou's voice, I heard it often enough.   
  
I'm going to see if I can find Kaiba or Mokuba anywhere. came the response. This interested me, so I decided to pay a bit more attention to the conversation. Because if I can get em back, even without their souls, then Pegasus won't hold all the cards!  
  
This truly _was_ intriguing. I took over Ryou's body momentarily, watching Tristan dash off down an empty corridor. A search for their empty vessels... not a bad idea... I thought to myself.  
  
But the match was starting, and Ryou would be looked for. I relinquished control to him again, but this time, I kept my eyes wide open.  
  


~~~~~~~~~~  


  
A few turns into Yugi's match with Pegasus, something caught my intention. It certainly wasn't Yugi or his duel; rather, it was the man on the phone... the head of security... Croquet? He was speaking in a low voice, so as not to disturb Pegasus from dueling. Even with my excellent ears, I couldn't make out a word he was saying, so I summoned forth a little bit of power from the Millennium Ring, just to enhance my hearing.  
  
Doing the best I could to ignore Joey and Téa, who were shouting encouragement to Yugi (for all the good it would do him), I focused on Croquet. My brow narrowed slightly from the strain. It took a couple of seconds for me to focus my power properly, but what I heard was worth the wait. _Let's see what Croquet's up to, shall we?_ I thought.  
  
...What? What do you mean, Mokuba's missing?' He is instrumental in the plan to take over Kaiba Corp.! As my heightened hearing kicked in, my eyes widened slightly in interest. Find him immediately. ...Idiot! How hard can it be to recapture a soulless body? ...Do _not_ make me come down there...  
  
Hmm... interesting, I muttered. This situation was getting more and more intriguing. No doubt, Tristan had managed to find one of the Kaiba brothers, and had triggered an alarm. What an amateur.  
  
Having heard all I needed to, I closed my connection and cut back my power. I came to the conclusion that I could easily benefit from this set of circumstances; should I come into the possession of an empty vessel like Mokuba, I would no longer have to deal with Ryou's resistance and betrayal. Not to mention, the idiot in the trench coat sounded like he had bit off more than he could chew. And it was bound to be more interesting than this Duel. My mind made up, I took complete possession of Ryou's body, and began to walk down the nearest hallway.  
  
Hmm? You got somewhere to go, Bakura? A voice from behind me called. I froze.  
  
Crap. I had completely forgotten about those two idiots. It was too late to switch places with my Hikari again, being as I had just locked him in his soul room, and if I just ran off, they'd be sure to follow. So I did the only thing that one could do in such a situation. I winged it.  
  
Yes. I thought I'd go and check on Tristan. I answered, giving the best impression of my Hikari as I could.  
He _has_ been gone a long time, Téa pointed out.  
  
Too long, if you ask me! Joey agreed. I mean, what could be more important than this match?  
  
I couldn't believe my luck. They were actually falling for it! What losers. They really _were_ stupider than they looked; I hadn't thought it that it was possible. Hm. I'll be sure to ask him. I replied, heading back down the hallway...  
  


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Well? What do you think? The Castle, Part 2, (imaginative title, no?) is next. Please review, and feel free to flame as long as you have a logical point to make. Thanks!


	2. The Castle, Part 2: Of Idiots and Moron...

The Castle, Part 2: Of Idiots and Morons  
  
  
Mwahaha! I made the title longer. ^_^ Wow, a new chapter after just one day. That's gotta be a record for me. I must have been REALLY bored.  
  
Actually, I'm in an extremely good mood. I'm going to be getting the original Japanese manga for the original Yu-Gi-Oh! Specifically, the Monster World Saga, which I'm extremely interested in at the moment. Thanks to theria for helping me by telling me where to get it! (Go read her stories, especially Duel Legend. It's really good!)   
  
Disclaimer: Why do I even bother? I DON'T OWN YU-GI-OH!!! That's why this is under the section of the site, not the original fiction. How hard is that to understand? I hate these things.  
  


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The castle was richly decorated; I had to resist the natural impulse to peek into the many doors lining the perfectly painted hallways and take a... _souvenir_ or two.   
  
As I headed downward, the walls grew more and more bare. Instead of fine carpeting and fresh paint, the floors and walls were made of stone. I knew I was getting warmer to my destination; where else would one put a prisoner?  
  
After a few minutes, my worry went up a notch. The skills of Ryou's friend were questionable, and I didn't particularly want to have to deal with a dead body. I bit my lip, and broke into a dead run.  
  
There didn't seem to be any signs of anyone - not even a guard I could ..._persuade_ information from. I concentrated on my breathing, exhaling with every other step. _Where are you, little Mokuba?_   
  
I came to the end of the hallway, which separated in two directions. I looked back and forth - neither way seemed better than another. By this time, I knew I couldn't afford to make mistakes. The Millennium Ring gleamed, and two of its pointers were aiming left. I smiled to myself. I had a feeling I was getting close.  
  
I continued running, taking the left fork...  
  


~~~~~~~~~~  


  
I could hear voices up ahead of me; carefully, I slowed my steps and took a moment to catch my breath and listen to the conversation while I rooted through my Deck.  
  
...got Mokuba! cried a voice, presumably a guard.  
  
Stop him! ...Hold it right there! said another pathetic thug in black uniform.  
  
No place left to run, punk! Oooh, they had him surrounded. How _scary_. I rolled my eyes. At least the Ancient Egyptian guards could make better conversation. But not by much.  
  
You're surrounded. Duh. One would think that their prey would notice when they're cornered. But then, these _were_ mortals, so I suppose I can't expect to much.   
  
Now hand over the kid, tough guy. Tough? This Tristan fellow was supposed to be _tough_? So it's all of you losers against one teen who's busy holding an unconscious kid. Even for mortals, that shouldn't be considered a tough fight. Idiots.  
  
No. Come and get him. Maybe this Tristan fellow deserved more credit than I had been giving him. Relentlessness was a good trait to have; but it was futile without a backup plan. And by the tone of his voice, he sounded like he was pretty screwed.   
  
Well, I could fix that problem, easily.  
  
I chuckled - this was going to be fun - and took a short step forward, a step away from entering the hallway, Millennium Ring shimmering. Lay one hand on the boy, and you will rue the day you imbeciles were ever born.  
  
Huh? Hey, who's there? One guard called out.  
  
What an idiot. Why didn't he _look_? I laughed again; from my experience, laughter actually disturbs most people. I used this information to my advantage as I stepped forward, half-lit by the hallway's light.  
  
You just walked into a world of trouble, kid, a guard informed me.  
  
Bakura, get out of here! Tristan cried in shock when he saw my face.   
  
Come here, punk, a guard ordered. Hah. The delusional idiot thought that _he_ was still in charge of the situation. What a loser.  
  
You heard him. Now step out of those shadows right now! cried another guard, when I didn't move.  
  
Run for it, Bakura! Go on, save yourself! Tristan called to me, proving my earlier theory about a lack of a plan true. No brains, but a lot of guts. Eh, I've seen worse.  
  
Come on; step out of those shadows! the first guard said again. I chuckled again; I couldn't help it. This was such an amusing situation. Guards had grown even stupider in the last few thousand years. The goon in front of me paused for dramatic effect. ...Or else.  
  
I cut my laughter short and looked him in the eyes. Or else you'll do _what_, you pathetic little drones?  
  
The second guard narrowed his eyebrows. Hah... we warned ya! Hmph, and I'm told _my_ English is bad.   
  
I glared; while this was fun, I did have something I needed to do. Yes. And now _I_ am warning _you_ - DON'T trifle with me! I held up the magic card I had prepared.  
  
Now the guards were just strait confused. What's that? one of them asked. Morons... didn't anyone tell them that they shouldn't ask questions that they really didn't want to know the answers to?  
  
Chain Energy! I cried, pulling power from the Shadow Realm through my Ring to activate the spell. The guards were bound, arms at their sides. I could have just destroyed them, but eh. Everyone deserved a second chance. Besides, I didn't have _time_ to have fun torturing them. There were more... important things for me to be doing. I could always torture people later.  
  
The guards were utterly thunderstruck. What on earth!? I'm stuck! Oooh, what a brilliant observation.  
  
Ugh, me too! exclaimed the other. But how...?  
  
Bakura!? What did you _do_? Tristan asked, astounded. I sighed inwardly. I didn't have time for this; Chain Energy only held for so long...   
  
Ignoring his question, I responded, Come. Now is our chance to escape. I didn't think he'd contradict me there. And even if he did, we could have a discussion along the way. I turned around and began to run in the opposite direction.  
  
Tristan, getting over his initial shock, responded, Uh, okay... hey, wait up! he cried, getting the hint and chasing after me.  
  
Urgh! Hey, stop!   
  
the guards cried after us. I rolled my eyes. The dolts were bound by magic, and they were _still_ trying to give orders? Yeah, like we were just going to stop and break our getaway because they said so. Honestly... what idiots.   
  
Hey, those brats are getting away! one helpless guard cried.  
  
I can see _that_, moron! the other answered. Hah, maybe we'd get lucky and they'd get in a fight with each other. Stupid people typically have an extremely short attention span.   
  
As our footsteps died away, I could feel the magic spell break. Focusing my hearing through my ring, I heard the guards' voices echoing in the back of my mind. A-squad here. We need backup!  
  
Great, more losers. That's _exactly_ what we needed. Then again... this could work. I hadn't had much very fun in a long time... it seemed that that was about to change. I licked my lips in anticipation. Today was going pretty well.  
  
And I had a feeling that things were just getting started.  
  


~~~~~~~~~~  


  
Well, what do you think? Am I capturing Yami Bakura's character well? Any tips? Rules on flames are the same as last time. Please review!   
  
Next chapter - The Castle, Part 3: Some People are So Ungrateful!


	3. The Castle, Part 3: Some People are so ...

The Castle, Part 3: Some People are so Ungrateful!  
  
  
A.N. This is a lot more fun than I thought it would be. Yami Bakura's personality is fun to write for. Enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: *sigh* I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!. However, I believe I _do_ own some of Yami Bakura's thoughts. I own thoughts that aren't mine. Weird. But I still don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!, and I _still_ don't get money. But this is fun to write, so I'm doing it anyway.  
  


~~~~~~~~~~  


  
Even though I had managed to find Tristan, that didn't mean that I knew my way around the castle. We ran upwards, away from the guards. Away' was good enough for me.  
  
Knowing that I was in for a long run, and was currently possessing a body that didn't quite make the school's healthy fitness zone, I paced myself. What good would a lead do me if I couldn't keep it up? Tristan followed my example; however, he was much more athletic than Ryou, so soon, he was leading the way.   
  
For a few minutes, the only sounds that came out of our mouths were those of heavy breathing, excluding the Tristan made when he stubbed his toe on the stairs. We had been running for awhile now; it felt like we were pretty high off the ground. Not that there were any windows to look out of, but we had climbed several flights of stairs.  
  
Not bothering to turn to me as we sprinted up yet another story, Tristan asked, Hey, Bakura? What was it... you did back there ...using that magic card... but for real?  
  
Ugh. Now was not the time for a discussion about my Shadow Powers, and I told him so. Not now, those guards are still behind us.  
  
I could sense him frowning at my response. Fine. But something's up with you, and you're gonna tell me what.  
  
_So suspicious. Didn't I just save your worthless hide from those guards? Ugh. No respect..._ However, I noted that perhaps he wasn't as dumb as he looked; unlike his little friends, at least he had noticed something was off. Maybe there was hope for him yet...  
  
I watched him pull hard on a steel door in the hallway. It didn't budge. Ugh! It's a no-go, this door is locked. Come on!  
  
I hated taking orders from other people; it made them think that they were in charge (imagine that). However, it's not like I had a choice. We moved on.   
  
By this time, I was panting heavily. Ryou really needed to get in better shape. Tristan seemed to be tiring, too. And that fresh load of guards would be coming any moment...   
  
Look! A way out! Tristan's excited voice cut through my thoughts, and I saw that he was right; an open doorway stood at the end of a final flight of stairs. Light streamed in, blocking a clear view of the outside. Exhasted, but still wary, I slowed my pace slightly. There might be an ambush, or something equally unpleasant outside.   
  
The idiot in the trenchcoat kept barreling forward at full throttle, however. _Well, if there is an ambush, better him than me. It'll be easier for me to get us out of trouble, if I'm not caught as well._   
  
Looking up ahead, I saw that Tristan was paying for his stupidity dearly. Ahhh! Ooohhhaaa.... Ooooo... Woah, wohh...ahhhhh!!!!  
  
Amazing, the amount of differant exclimations of fear one could voice in a matter of seconds. I caught up to him; he was trying to maintain his balance. He had charged forward into the light, so eagar to escape that he hadn't bothered to look at what he was doing. We were at least five stories high off the ground, and Tristan was teatering percariously on a ledge leading out to nowhere.  
  
I shook my head inwardly. As an experianced theif, I knew better than to risk things like running out into broad daylight without looking first. However, Tristan wasn't an experianced theif. And if I didn't do something, he wouldn't be getting any more experiance at all, except for maybe the experiance of death.  
  
I could have easily grabbed Mokuba off of his back and let him fall to his doom, but... no. That wouldn't be right. Besides, if I saved his life, maybe he would become my ally; perhaps I could get him to help me steal Yugi's Puzzle and the other Millennium Items. And everyone deserved a second chance.   
  
So, I reached out, and grabbed the end of Tristan's trenchcoat.   
  
He was leaning over at amost a 90º angle; screaming something intelliagable. When I caught him, though, he stopped shouting, more surprised and relieved than anything, I suppose. He kept his legs bent but stiff; at least he knew not to try to pull with my weight as I hauled him up, as that would disturb the weight distrabution.   
  
Grunting with effort, I drew all of the strength that Ryou's body had left (and then some), and pulled his friend onto the ledge. Man, he was heavy. _This'll teach Ryou not to lift weights..._ I muttered inwardly. Gasping for breath, as well as out of exhileration, I glanced over Mokuba, making sure that the boy was unharmed. He was.   
  
Tristan was panting heavily, too. After a moment of paced breathing, he turned to me. I owe you one, Bakura, he said.  
  
Funny, he didn't remember that later...  
  


~~~~~~~~~~  
  


Short, yes, but I'm working on the next chapter right now! This is way more fun than I expected it to be!   
  
Please review!


	4. The Castle, Part 4: Correction: MOST P...

The Castle, Part 4 - Correction: Most People are So Ungrateful!  


  


  
A.N. All right, it's up! Took me awhile to update, but it's a longer chapter. Forgive me, people! ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: In an alternate universe, I own Yu-Gi-Oh!. However, this isn't that universe. Sorry to disappoint you, but Yu-Gi-Oh! isn't mine. Just some of Yami Bakura's thoughts are. And I don't get any blasted money for this, either. Life sucks.  
  


~~~~~~~~~~  


  
After a few more minutes, we both had our wind back; at least enough to function normally. Tristan peered over the side. Well... seeing as how jumping's out of the question, I'd say we're as good as caught...  
  
It was as if he had triggered the magic words. There they are! came a shout from the end of the hall. This time, there were a whole pack of goons, instead of just two. Come on!  
  
Get another one agreed. I sighed inwardly. What idiots. They still thought that they stood a chance...? No matter how many of them there were, they were still certainly no match for my Shadow Powers. Stupid people really get on my nerves. You'd think that they'd have taken the hint before, but no... dumb mortals. I believe in second chances, but who said anything about a third?  
  
Well... we tried... Tristan, who was now standing next to me, said.   
  
Noting the note of hopelessness in his voice, I raised my eyebrows in amusement. What do you mean, we tried'? We are not captured just yet. I reminded him.  
  
What are you talkin' about? We're totally out manned!  
  
_Hm... it's not like you to be so pessimistic, Tristan..._ I thought. I grinned, pulling my Deck from my pocket. We won't be, after I enlist some help from the Shadow Realm, I replied.  
  
Tristan's surprise intensified; confusion and fear lined his face as well. Eh... the Shadow Realm? This can't be good, he muttered to himself.  
  
Ignoring him, I chuckled as the idiot guards reached the foot of the stairway, completely unaware of what I had in store for them...  
  
It's all over! Give us back our prisoner now, and we still might let you leave in once piece! Face it, you've got nowhere else to run! Huh. _That's all the thanks I get for sparing your pathetic lives the first time? Well, I won't make the some mistake twice. Some people are just so ungrateful..._  
  
Bakura, he's right... Tristan whispered in my ear. Honestly, hadn't he been listening when I said that these guards were no problem at all? I'd had my fill of morons for the day.  
  
So, punk... what's it gonna be? said another loser.   
  
Idiots who trying to be tough were often rather amusing, I must admit. I laughed darkly. You ignorant mortals... it's far from all over; we have barely even begun to play! And I'll show you the cards that Fate has dealt you...  
  
Holding up my Deck, I noticed the look of utter confusion and annoyance on the guards' faces. Stop talking nonsense, give up! one cried.  
  
Right now! another agreed.  
  
I allowed myself another chuckle. They had no clue how deep they were. They didn't even know what was coming... Thickheaded dolts really were fun to watch. Yes, I'd enjoy torturing these idiots...  
  
Now, I'll teach you the true meaning of fear, as I summon the Man-Eater Bug, I laughed darkly in anticipation - I hadn't gotten the chance to torture someone for ages - and began to channel some energy from the Shadow Realm, willing the card to come to life, with the power of my Millennium Ring!   
  
As my pet came forward, stretching its legs for the first time in a few thousand years, I laughed again. I had forgotten how much fun this could be!   
  
Uh... what's going on? Tristan said, more confused than anything.   
  
The guards were busy shielding themselves from the blinding light of my Millennium Ring. Huh. You'd think with those thick sunglasses, they wouldn't be able to see a foot in front of them. Mortals certainly were odd.  
  
Finally, they looked up. Their looks of confusion were quickly replaced by terror. Oh, no! one cried. He's brought the monster on the card to life - and he's going to sic it on us! Brilliant conclusion, my friend.  
  
Now, you mortal fools, prepare to meet your doom! I cried happily, sending my Man-Eater Bug forward.  
  
Here it comes! one cried frantically.  
  
urged another. Let's get outta here!  
  
They actually thought that they could outrun my monster? What idiots. But I had more... pressing matters to think about. Like getting Tristan on my side. Tuning out the pleasant screams of the mortals, I thought for a moment. Getting Tristan to work on my side would be hard... but I was certain that I could do it. I just needed a plan...  
  
_Now. Think: what do people do at business meetings do to form an alliance? They drink coffee, or wine, or something... well, that's not going to work right now; I don't have any beverages in my possession.  
  
They have fancy papers. No, I'm short of those, too...   
  
They discuss what they want done. This I can do... but first, they usually discuss informal, neutral things. To get comfortable. So, I'll start there..._  
  
Fixing a smile on my face, I took a stab at pleasant conversation. Present-day humans are so fun to terrorize, don't you think? Perfect. Light tone, an interesting topic, and I wasn't forcing him to answer one way or another; I was asking for his opinion. I smiled inwardly. This wasn't so hard, after all.  
  
No, I don't, Tristan responded coldly. But then again, I am a present-day human - what the heck are you?  
  
_Well, excuuuuuse me! I know that you're a present-day human - do I look stupid to you? - but I was hoping that you didn't _want_ to associate yourself with these losers by putting yourself in the same group as them. Psychology was half of stupidity.   
_  
Well, there wasn't much that I could do with someone that _wanted_ to be like those idiots. Ugh, I guess the moron wasn't as smart as I had hoped... Well, I wouldn't kill him - yet - provided that he didn't push my buttons. He still had Mokuba's body, and I didn't want to risk injuring my vessel-to-be. Besides, I still had to finish off those guards...  
  
I chuckled to myself, remembering the task at hand. I asked, looking through my deck for a card to finish the job. Ah, there it was...  
  
Answering Tristan's question, I continued, Someone with great power, soon to be greater... But I can't spend the day having fun; I have things to do. I tossed the card in my hand forward, towards the guards; some were still struggling, others had already fallen. So I'll summon the Morphing Jar to this plane, and put an end to their pathetic whining!  
  
My Morphing Jar appeared from the Shadow Realm with a battle cry, soaring towards the guards, who were beginning their screams of horror with new fear. What _is_ that!? one of them cried. The Jar shrieked again in response, consuming them all...  
  
The Jar's magic will send these ridiculous thugs to the Graveyard. I explained to Tristan, who still hadn't moved - probably out of awe or shock. I laughed to myself. Today had been a lot of fun... and I had a feeling things weren't over yet... I still had a body and the Millennium Eye to gain. And perhaps, later, even the Puzzle...  
  
Well, if I couldn't get Tristan to be my ally, I could at least get him to hand over the boy quietly. I didn't _want_ to kill him; I don't really like killing people, actually. If they deserve it, than so be it, but I saw little point in mindless slaughter. Killing is a last resort.  
  
Calmly, I walked down the stairs with a genuine smile on my face. As you can see, there's not a single particle of those pathetic fools left in this dimension; I've no patience for obstacles that get in my way - remember that! I chuckled. The teen didn't realize how lucky he was to be getting a warning.  
  
Huh... I don't know how you did that, and I probably don't want to know... just tell me who you are, what you want... I know you're not really our friend Bakura. Tristan said.  
  
The idiot was trying to make demands from me? Bad move.   
  
You're the one Yugi beat! Brilliant, he figured it out. Why bother asking a question if you can answer it yourself? Idiot. Now I wonder why I gave him a chance in the first place... He banished you to the graveyard - and in the process, he freed Bakura from your mind control!  
  
Eh, it wasn't mind control - that was the Millennium Rod's power - I just inhabited Ryou's body, same as the Spirit of the Puzzle did to Yugi - but I wasn't going to bother correcting him. It wasn't important, really.   
  
I answered slowly. But that wouldn't have happened if Bakura hadn't betrayed me.  
  
I cringed at the memory. Tristan, although he had died during the game, had suffered very little. My soul had been forcefully ripped from Ryou's body by the Spirit of the Puzzle (who, I might add, is extremely inexperienced in matters like soul exchanges), and then I had been destroyed by the dark magic of an extremely powerful monster. I think I definitely went through more pain than him. Not to mention, the even deeper pain of betrayal... that was the worst kind of suffering.  
  
Coming out of my thoughts, I continued, I've decided I need a new host.  
  
Tristan went on guard almost immediately. You won't take me without a fight!  
  
I rolled my eyes. Stupid mortal. Why would I take _his_ body? The entire point of getting a new vessel was to not have any resistance, and I told him so: Not yours; I want a vessel without a mind or soul of its own.  
  
His eyes widened in surprise and understanding. You want Mokuba...  
  
Well, the genius finally figured it out. I smiled icily as I summoned a bit of power from the Shadow Realm, darkening the room. Now turn him over - or face the same fate as those guards!  
  
Seeing the look of indecision oh Tristan's face, I laughed. Partially to freak him out even more, and partially because, well, this was fun.  
  
So, what will it be, mortal? I asked after a few minutes, as I let it all sink in. Are you going to hand Mokuba over willingly, or do I have to conjure something to consume your soul?  
  
Forget it. No way! Tristan cried, though I could sense the uncertainty and the fear in his voice.  
  
I laughed. You know that I have the power to back up my threats... I began, my voice as cool and smooth as ice. Hand him over this instant, or I'll dispatch you to the Graveyard, too. My Millennium Ring shimmered, as if anticipating Tristan's death.  
  
Hm... yeah, I remember. Your evil power comes from _that_... The Millennium Ring. Tristan said.  
  
I cringed inwardly at his wording. Evil. I hate when people call me that... Tristan really _was_ stupid, to label me so. That selfish, pigheaded excuse for a life-form didn't know what it was like, being forced to live in agony for centuries... and he didn't care, either. Yet, I said nothing. What good would it do? Mortals were stupid and inferior; incapable of understanding what is different and strange to them. Mortals are afraid of me, the darkness, because they don't understand... and they don't _want_ to understand, for that matter. Nothing that I could say or do would change that.   
  
But honestly, he dares to call me evil after I saved his life four times, for no reason other than because it was the right thing to do? Some people, I swear...  
  
Keeping my face and voice a cold mask over my true feelings, I simply answered, That's right. The Millennium Ring not only allows me to control your friend Bakura; it gives me many other magical abilities as well. I held out my hand, keeping my voice a deadly calm and resisting the urge to beat him into a pulp for his insolence and failure to comply to my wishes.   
  
So unless you want a more _personal_ demonstration of my powers, you'll stop resisting me... since you know any attempt would be pointless... why sacrifice yourself when you know I'll still wind up in possession of the him in the end?   
  
I noted to myself that I certainly was giving him a lot of chances. I _was_ in a good mood today. But this was the last time... my patience was wearing thin.  
  
Tristan sighed, closing his eyes and looking down. ...All right, I give up... You can have him. Mokuba's yours. he muttered. I smiled, putting my hand down and approaching him. Finally, the idiot mortal had seen the logic in my argument. Now all that remained was to take control of Mokuba's body, and find a way to shut Tristan up, so he wouldn't tell the others that I had returned...  
  
Here! think fast! Tristan's voice interrupted my thoughts. To my surprise, he had tossed Mokuba's limp body in the air - right at me! I quickly caught him - I couldn't let my body-to-be sustain damage - but by then, Tristan was on the offensive, charging me. I didn't have any time to react... his elbow strike to the back of my neck was swift and lethal.   
  
Mokuba dropped from my hands as I fell to the floor. As the cold steel raced up to meet me, my last conscious thought was, _I was wrong... not some, but _most_ people are ungrateful... ... ...so much for owing me'._  
  


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Yeah, I know it's a been awhile since my last update. But the chapter's pretty long! I've been pretty busy lately, so it might be awhile before I get the next chapter up. Anyway, please review! More reviews = more motivation to get the next chapter up quicker! ^_^


	5. The Millennium Eye, Part 1: Good News a...

The Millennium Eye, Part 1: Good News and Bad News  
  
  
A.N. Sorry, life's busy. Will try to find more time to write... can't promise. Sorry. Holiday shopping (ugh!) + school + work + sick mom = not much spare time. But I'll try! (... ... ...does anyone really care? Huh.)  
  
Disclaimer: As you most likely know by now, Yu-Gi-Oh! belongs to Kazuki Takahashi. In case you haven't noticed, my name isn't Kazuki Takahashi. I'm Seena. All I own are my stories, my homework, my twisted ideas, and some of Yami Bakura's thoughts in this fanfiction. And I don't get money, either. (Not for this, anyway ^_^)  
  


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_ Ugh. My back... er, rather, Ryou's back. It hurts. A lot. Stupid Tristan... Tristan? Where the heck is he now? Where is anyone?_  
  
I opened my eyes. My vision was somewhat blurry, but not bad. _I better not have a concussion or something..._ I thought. _Stupid Tristan. Where is he, anyway?_ No one was in sight.  
  
But I felt something. Behind me... shadows. The Shadow Realm... Dark energy. But I was definitely in the real world... back near the Dueling arena where Ryou had been watching Yuugi's match with Pegasus. _That must be where the Dark Energy's coming from..._ I thought. _Either Yuugi or Pegasus is using a Millennium Item to summon themselves into the Shadow Realm... they must be Dueling there._  
  
My vision clearing somewhat, I noticed that something - no, _someone_ - was leaning on me. Mokuba. Mokuba's body was right there next to me, his weight partially on the the railing we were propped up against, and partially on my right side. Ha! No one else around, and Mokuba's soulless body was right next to me. I couldn't believe my luck.  
  
_Now, all I needed to do was use the power of my Ring to transfer my soul, and- my Ring? My Ring... where the heck is my Ring!?_ Crap. Well, this stunk. What did that idiot, Tristan, do to my Millennium Item? Not that it was a huge problem, of course - as the source of my power, I could summon the Ring forward from just about anywhere at will - but it was just another stupid annoyance that I had to deal with.   
  
I was about to summon the Ring forward from wherever-the-heck-Tristan-had-stuck-it, when something broke my concentration. The Shadows. They were... gone. The Duel must be over!  
  
My mind raced. If Tristan had taken away my Ring, then he and his friends wouldn't be expecting any more trouble from me. That meant only one thing. Ryou would have to take over...  
  
I unlocked his soul room and threw open the door. I called. Come out and take your body back!  
  
Previously asleep, Ryou peered up at my backlit face from beneath his sheets. You... you're done, then? he asked timidly.  
  
I growled. I just need you to convince your pathetic friends that you're all right. They don't know that I'm here, and I want it to _stay_ that way. Got it?!  
  
He nodded his head briskly, eyes wide with fear. Pushing him back into his body, I hissed in his ear, Now, not a word... I'll be listening.  
  
He nodded again, and I watched through his eyes as he came too. I heard voices in the background...  
  
...Hm... what!? He's _gone_! That would be Yugi. His soul wasn't sealed away, so he must have won the Duel. Impressive.  
  
Why am I not surprised by this? Lousy accent, must be Joey.  
  
Slippery double-crossing snake! Hah. Takes one to know one, Tristan... Let's go find him!  
  
_They must have be talking about Pegasus._ I thought. _He must have left while Yugi and his friends were celebrating their victory. Mortals are really rather unobservant._  
  
But we can't just leave Mokuba and Bakura here all alone. By this time, Ryou had pulled himself up; though I didn't need to look to know that Téa was speaking.  
  
_That's your cue, Ryou._ I nudged him. _And remember, not a word..._  
  
He nodded inwardly, then called out. Hey, up here! he waved as they turned. Hello! Hey!  
  
Yugi cried as he spotted him.   
  
Hey there! Tristan yelled. Feeling back to normal?  
  
Ryou could sense my mental glare. Putting a puzzled look on his face, he responded, What? Back to normal? Have I not _been_ normal, Tristan?  
  
Confused looks mixed with understanding filled the faces of Ryou's friends. He must not be able to remember anything... Tristan muttered. He called back, Yeah! That weird Ring you wear around your neck was making you act like a real freak again!  
  
If I had been in possession of Ryou's body at the time, I would have most likely killed Tristan. _FREAK!? You insolent mortal! I save your pathetic life, and this is the gratitude I get? You idiot, you're too worthless to even spit on._  
  
However, Ryou returned innocently, Freak? Oh, my. I must admit, my hikari is a good actor.  
  
Yugi turned to Tristan. His... Millennium Ring? he asked. Suddenly worried, he cried, Where is it now!? Hmph... Nice to know _someone_ cares. Not. Well, at least I didn't have to ask now and arouse suspicion.  
  
replied Tristan proudly. I chucked that thing away as far as I could.  
  
Moron. As if simply throwing the Ring away would destroy the bond between Ryou and I. Our souls were bonded to each other, and to the Ring - like it or not, I was going to stay until I felt like leaving. Mortals were such idiots. I can't believe I had any faith in this Tristan fellow in the first place. What a loser.  
  
Oh well, Ryou simply said. If it was making me act weird, then I guess it was for the best. But it appears that I'm now...  
  
As the group sighed thoughtfully, I nodded my head in approval. This conversation was going well. Well, if you're okay... Téa began slowly, Could you watch Mokuba for us?  
  
Ryou bit his lip inwardly, and turned to me. Although he didn't speak, I could see the question written in his face; he didn't want to anger me by giving Miss Friendship the wrong answer. _Yes! Yes, accept, Ryou! This is perfect!_ I urged him, my fierce gaze intense.   
  
Sure. I suppose... Ryou responded, keeping his outward innocence.  
  
Joey nodded, Then let's go find that creep, Pegasus!  
  
agreed Tristan as the group turned.  
  
As they began to run into the hallway, Joey continued, After all, he made a promise to free those souls, and he's gonna keep it!  
  
Urgh. I had completely forgotten about Pegasus' deal with Yugi. _If Pegasus restores Mokuba's soul, his body will be useless to me... _I realized.   
  
Turning my attention inward, I spoke to my host. You did well, Ryou; you were wise not to cross me. I have one more task to complete; you will get possession of your body after that. Until then, stay in your soul room and don't bother me. Got it?  
  
Ryou nodded his head again meekly, not daring to question my orders. He most likely didn't want to know exactly what I was planning, either... he wasn't very interested in gory details. No fun at all. But at least it ensured that I would not be bothered.  
  
Summoning forth my Millennium Ring and feeling my Shadow Powers strengthen from its presence, I smiled inwardly. Every cloud had a silver lining (though I prefer gold), and the lining in this matter was that I would soon gain from Pegasus' loss. _But it matters not, because now that Pegasus has been weakened by his Duel with Yugi, he's been giving me the opportunity I've been waiting for. The time has finally come to add Pegasus' Millennium Item to my collection..._   
  
I laughed to myself as I turned towards the castle's central tower; while Yugi and his friends had left to look for Pegasus first, I doubted that they knew where he was. I had erased their minds... I would reach Pegasus' sanctuary far before they would realize where he was hiding...   
  
After a moment of consideration, I decided to leave Mokuba's body behind; it would be a burden toting him around. I planned on a quick confrontation with Pegasus, so I doubted any harm would come to the boy. Who would want some kid's body, anyway?  
  
Setting off down a richly painted hallway, I noticed almost all of the pain in my back had subsided - my host was a fast healer. That reminded me...  
  
I didn't speak out loud, but I rather thought the word.  
  
Y-yes...? What do you want...? From his voice, he seemed a bit nervous, not to mention tired. Well, he'd have plenty of time to rest while I collected Pegasus' Millennium Eye...  
  
Listen. You need to work out more, in your spare time. Whatever he had been expecting, that wasn't it; I could sense from his reaction that he was surprised.  
  
Wha-... huh? What do you mean...? he asked, his voice soft; I think he was trying not to anger me with his cluelessness.   
  
I sighed. Your body is rather weak. Saving your friend Tristan was no simple feat; I had to draw on my Shadow Powers to keep him and Mokuba from falling. You build up your stamina, as well. Running in such a weak body is extremely annoying, and also a bit ...painful, for lack of a better word.  
  
My hikari didn't seem able to respond; I believe he was in a state of shock. I was beginning to enjoy myself; my good mood was returning, what with the promise of another Millennium Item soon to come.  
  
Furthermore, I don't think you've been eating properly. Did you pay _any_ attention in your idiotic health classes? Study your stupid food pyramid, and eat the right things. I need a healthy body, Ryou. I can't afford to be weak; if I must share a body with a wimp like you, you should at least be physically fit. Got it?  
  
Ryou could only nod his head dumbly. Good. Now that that's settled, leave me alone. I have work that needs to be done...  
  
I licked my lips in anticipation. The Millennium Eye would soon have a new holder...  
  


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Any good? Does anyone actually LIKE this, or am I just doing this for my health? ^_^ Please review! Thanks!


	6. The Millennium Eye, Part 2: Discovering...

The Millennium Eye, Part 2: Discovering Destiny  
  
  
A.N. Okay, people like this. And I do, too! So I guess that settles it... I'll try to work on this fanfiction more often, then! Gosh, I figured people would like this, but I didn't think they'd really _like_ it... it was kind of a side project thing, I guess.  
  
Disclaimer: I bought Yu-Gi-Oh! on Ebay last week. It's mine now. *rolls eyes* Suuuuuure. I DO NOT OWN YU-GI-OH!!!! All I own are my own strange and twisted ideas, and some of Yami Bakura's thoughts, too.   
  


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The climb up to Pegasus' sanctuary (where else would he be heading?) wasn't half as hard as I expected it to be, what with Ryou carrying on about it in his memories. Weakling. There were even little niches between most of the stones; I didn't even need a rope! I would have to push this working-out thing on Ryou a little harder, it seemed.  
  
In no time at all, I had reached the balcony. Surprisingly, there weren't any guards around at all - either they were all busy somewhere else, or they were dead. Funny, though, I had only eliminated six guards or so... Pegasus really ought to beef up his security. Well, he wouldn't be around long enough to realize his mistakes...  
  
I crept under a window, careful not to be seen. Cautiously, I peered into the room. The lights were off, and the room was dim. I bit my lip, and stood up. I had thought for _sure_ that he'd be here... Well, wherever he went, I could find him, as long as he possessed the Millennium Eye... and that - I grinned inwardly - wouldn't be for too much longer.   
  
I focused my energy on the Ring, willing it to track down the Eye. After a brief moment, three of its pointers glowed, trained on the tower below. A wave of understanding passed over me. Pegasus was near, very near... he was climbing to the top of the tower, right now. So my calculations on his whereabouts _hadn't_ been wrong...  
  
I opened the window and climbed in, closing the glass panes behind me. I didn't have time to lock it; I could already hear Pegasus' footsteps approaching the room... my eyes darted around for a hiding place. The best I could do was a nearby curtain; I snuck behind it just as the millionaire entered the room.   
  
He didn't turn the lights on, but the window gave more than enough light to illuminate what was happening. Pegasus' eyes were so full of pain and suffering... I almost pitied him for a moment. I too knew that feeling, when everything that you had worked for crashed down about you... when everything and everyone that ever meant anything to you was lost, gone, far beyond your grasp... and you could do nothing about it, nothing but suffer...  
  
My heart hardened. I never wanted to feel that pain again. And that was why I was here. That was why I could not, would not fail, and why I must obtain the Eye. It was my turn to win...   
  
A glow of light interrupted my thoughts, and I realized what was happening; Pegasus was releasing the souls Mokuba and the others. While it was terribly inconvenient for me - I could have gotten a new host - my respect for Pegasus grew. Even in his failure, he kept his word... even if it was to a cheater like Yuugi. Honour, true honour like that, was very hard to find in anyone these days...  
  
Cecilia... I'm sorry, but I have failed you. My attempt to take over Kaiba Corp., my efforts to get all the Millennium Items, was all done for you... in the hopes that I could restore you, body and soul.  
  
His voice, so full of hopelessness, opened up old wounds... wounds that my scarred heart quickly repaired almost as soon as they surfaced. It was just another reason that I had to get all of the Millennium Items. Another reason that this must be done...   
  
How sweet, I sneered sarcastically, stepping out from behind the curtain, and erasing any feelings of pity or sorrow that I possessed. After all, those things would only weaken me, and hold me back from my goals, now...  
  
He turned, startled and perhaps afraid. Huh?! Who's there? His eyes fell on me; the sunlight from the window backlit my body... I stood before him, as the darkness that I am. Bakura... I remember now! You, you're the one who possesses the Millennium Ring!  
  
I smiled. I would soon possess much more than the Ring... I intend to have all of the Items. Care to wager yours on a Shadow Game? I'll give you a second chance at a Millennium Item...  
  
I smiled, moving forward and picking up Pegasus' deck, which lay stacked in a neat pile on his desk. I started shuffling the cards, continuing, What you couldn't win from Yuugi, perhaps you can win from me. Who knows? If you defeat me and claim my Ring, your deepest desires might not be beyond your grasp, after all.  
  
Pegasus didn't move; apparently, he was still to shocked at this turn of events. Mortals are amazingly slow creatures. By this time I had begun laying out his cards, in tarot format, drawing on my Shadow Powers. I loved toying with my prey... there was nothing like the uneasiness of one's opponent before you destroyed them... I suppose one would call it the, thrill of the hunt'. Not to mention, the information might prove useful later. Hmm... your Millennium Item allows you to look into people's minds, Pegasus; mine allows me to see into their souls. I have but to look at your deck, Pegasus, and it reveals to me your true nature.  
  
I had arranged the cards on the table traditionally; one card at the top, three in the middle, and one at the bottom. The top card symbolized birth, and the final card, death. The three in the middle - Pegasus' past, present, and future.   
  
I smiled icily, and turned the first of the middle three - the one farthest to the right, the past - over. ...The Happy Lover card... It shows that you have experienced the joys of love, I began. However, this card is upside down, which means your romance ended in tragedy. What a pity it is, I ended sarcastically, making sure my voice did not carry any sympathy.  
  
My hand moved to the next card, and I continued, Well, the next card should tell me more about your present than your past... I turned it over. Ah, the Mask of Darkness, ay?  
  
I hadn't been certain what to expect for Pegasus' present card. However, the Mask of Darkness confirmed my suspicions - that Pegasus, much like me, had been prejudged by his actions, and that the real truth still remained hidden behind the thick walls that surrounded his heart. I stared at the card, and felt that it symbolized me, too...   
  
Narrowing my eyes, I snapped myself out of my thoughts. I continued speaking, keeping my voice harsh and indifferent; I was determined not to betray my thoughts. So your recent actions were all just an effort to mask your true objectives... objectives that came from deep within your heart. I glanced at him. Who would have thought you even had a heart? Let alone one so easily broken.  
  
This seemed to shake Pegasus out of his trance. he snapped, out of anger and fear. Understandable; I was _trying_ to anger him - it would only drain him of his energy further. Let's just play the game!  
  
I chuckled, amused. Keeping my voice light, I moved my hand to the last of the three cards. ...As you wish. But first, there is one more card to be revealed. Don't you want to see your future?  
  
I could see Pegasus pale as I turned it over. I grinned - now, I knew that I would not fail in obtaining that which I desired... Doma, the Angel of Silence. It's an appropriate card for your future, since I will now silence you forever!  
  
I turned to the now-terrified mortal, who was practically trembling with fear. My smile widened, as my heart beat faster with excitement. Prepare yourself, mortal, for a Shadow Game the likes of which you've never played!  
  


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Hope you guys enjoyed it! Next chapter concludes the Duelist Kingdom saga! The Millennium Eye, Part 3...  
  
Have any of you actually ever tried to do the tarot card thing Yami Bakura's way? I did mine, and I got Castle Walls for my past, the Lady of Faith for my present, and Durmes Dark Witch for my future. I wonder if it means anything. ^_^  
  
Anyway, please review, as always!


	7. The Millennium Eye, Part 3: Silver Hair...

The Millennium Eye, Part 3: Silver-Haired Duelists  
  
  
A.N. Yay! Another chapter! After this chapter and the next one, I'm planning on going back and doing Yami Bakura's Duel in the Shadow Realm. There's two reasons for this:   
  
1) It's the first thing that happens, and I haven't done it yet. I have the episode recorded like five times over, and I have it on my cassette player (and I listen to it every night before I go to bed. ^_^ I can recite every single line that Yami Bakura (and everyone else, for that matter) says. Er, you didn't really need to know that...), but I just... haven't done it. So I thought that I should do it...  
  
2) In the next two episodes that Yami Bakura is in - the first of those two episodes, especially - 4kids changes Yami Bakura's lines quite a bit. First, Anzu bumps into Bakura. Now, in the american version after Anzu leaves, Yami says something about wanting to get the Puzzle for himself. But you know what?! In the original version, he says to himself, what could Yuugi be doing to let the puzzle be stolen from him? And he thinks to himself that this is a sign that bad stuff's going to happen, because the Items have the keys to the past in them (or something of that nature; I don't speak japanese _that_ well ^_^). Then, he says that YUUGI IS THE OWNER OF THE MILLENNIUM PUZZLE, AND THAT AN ENEMY OF YUUGI IS AN ENEMY OF HIM!!!!! Okay, in the American version, they totally left that out! The dubbers are in a conspiracy to make Yami Bakura evil!!!!!!! I think that this is completely unfair to Yami Bakura and everyone in general. Yami Bakura wanted to help Yuugi get the Puzzle back, for gosh sakes!!! LET THE WORLD SEE HOW YAMI BAKURA WAS WRONGED!!! ...Okay, I'm done now. ^_^ Sorry about the rant, but it's true... so anyway, my original point is that I'm kind of avoiding that episode right now.   
  
ANYWAY. Let the chapter commence!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!. I wouldn't _want_ to own the Pharaoh himself. I don't like him very much, really. I wouldn't mind owning the Millennium Ring, though... ^_^ But, as I stated before, I DO own some of Yami Bakura's thoughts!   
  


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I smiled as I began to draw on some of the deepest and most powerful of my Shadow Powers. A cerulean aura was beginning to form around my Ring; I noticed that Pegasus was powering up his Millennium Eye in much the same fashion as I - a scarlet light was collecting around his Item.  
  
This match will be played on the landscape of our minds! I declared, to clear up any confusion that the mortal might have. With a final burst of energy, I launched my Shadow Powers through my Ring - they collided with the crimson beam of power emitting from Pegasus' Eye halfway across the room.  
  
The space around the beams twisted and twirled in distortion, but my opponent's face remained clear to me. I stood strong, unmoving - tall like an obelisk. I was too busy using all of my energy to defeat Pegasus; I couldn't afford to be making wild movements. My stance was as impassive as I.  
  
Pegasus, on the other hand, didn't seem half as comfortable with the situation as I did. He was leaning back on one foot, and - was it just my imagination? - swaying back and forth unsteadily. I smiled; this was shaping up to be much easier than I had imagined.  
  
Really, now, Pegasus, is that all you can muster? His lack of strength was rather surprising, actually. I had expected him to be tired, but I was hardly getting a challenge... the millionaire's only response to my taunt was a narrowing of the eyebrows and a grit of the teeth.   
  
Ah, but you've been fatigued by your Shadow Duel with Yugi. Your mind is weary while mine is fresh, I answered my own question, when it became apparent that I would not get a reply out of my silver-haired opponent. I sighed inwardly. If Pegasus was too weak to even speak, than this game was already won. _Time to finish this... who knows when Yugi and his friends will trace Pegasus here? _ With a final flare, I intensified the beam of light coming from my Ring, which promptly engulfed Pegasus' weak red beam and sent the man flying across the room - ironically, right into a picture of Cecilia.  
  
I cut my energy immediately, not wishing to injure my opponent... not more than I had to, anyway. I couldn't afford to damage the Eye, and I felt... _pity_ for this man, who had lost everything. I couldn't destroy him outright. I would give Pegasus a second chance; but this time, I wouldn't give my enemy an opportunity to backstab me. I learned fast.  
  
Instead, I approached him slowly, grinning to my heart's content. You are defeated! I said triumphantly, a right amateur to one who has played for centuries.  
  
This statement seemed to surprise him. You've lived for centuries!? What kind of creature are you!?  
  
I winced inwardly. _Creature?_ _Must you call me a creature'? I thought that perhaps you, of all people, might realize how much such words sting..._ I sighed to myself. All mortals were the same, in the end. _ To answer your question, I am the one who is going to spare your pathetic soul! Why do I even bother with you ungrateful idiots?_  
  
As always, I said nothing of how I felt. Emotions would do me no good. Standing over him, I simply smiled, and answered, I am the one who will possess all the Millennium Items... and I shall use their combined might to conquer the entire world! By this time, my grin was genuine. You have lost the game, and that entitles me to take your Millennium Item. The way you meant to take Yuugi's...  
  
I reached forward. Pegasus didn't struggle - he seemed paralyzed with fear - but he screamed. No! NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!  
  
I placed two fingers and my thumb around the Millennium Eye, listening to my opponent's pleasant screams for mercy. Narrowing my eyes, I pulled; Pegasus screamed louder as the source of his Shadow Powers was ripped from his body and soul. I couldn't help but smile. With a gush of blood, the Millennium Eye was mine.  
  
Pleasant as they were, I drowned out Pegasus' screams, and beheld my prize for a moment. After waiting so long, finally, I was getting somewhere. It would only be a matter of time before I obtained all of the Items.   
  
I'm not sure what startled me back into the real world, but I sensed something was wrong. Pegasus' crying had been reduced to weak moaning (not that that's _wrong_), but other than that I heard no sound. I closed my eyes. Something. Was. Not. Right.  
  
Suddenly, my eyes shot open. Someone was coming; I could sense a pathetic life source coming up the stairs. _They must have heard Pegasus' screams, and decided to come investigate._ I realized. No time to gloat over my victory - I had to get out of there, and fast. Pocketing the Eye, I reopened the window that had previously served as my way of entry, suddenly glad that I hadn't had time to lock it before. I scrambled out just in time; the head guard, Croquet, had just entered the room as I shut the window behind me, breathing a sigh of relief.  
  
My relief didn't last for long, though, as I became aware of something else - heavy breathing; distant, but nearby. I looked around wildly, then spotted the source of the noise. Or rather, sources. It was Yugi and his friends, running right towards the tower.  
  
Well, this was just peachy.  
  
I climbed quickly but carefully, trying to reach the other side of the tower before they spotted me. Bakura was supposed to be guarding Mokuba; what would his friends think if he was climbing Pegasus' keep for apparently no reason?   
  
After what seemed like forever, I reached the corner of the wall. Although they were pretty close, now, Yugi's group's attention was fixed on the doorway of the sanctuary tower, where Croquet and another guard emerged, carrying Pegasus' limp body piggyback style. Those idiots really _were_ dense, not to see me - and for once, I was grateful.  
  
Once I had reached the other side of the tower, I leaned against the wall, resting for a bit. I was starting to develop a slight headache - from a combination of Tristan's blow earlier, and my using vast amounts of my Shadow Powers all at one time. I sighed. Today was turning out pretty well, on the whole; it would have been better if I had obtained Mokuba's soulless body, the Millennium Eye, _and_ the Millennium Puzzle, but it wasn't a bad haul, overall. A guy had to take what he could get. Besides, there was always time to plot later, and-  
  
My last thought was interrupted by the crumbling ledge at my feet breaking off into nothingness, and taking me with it. I resisted the urge to yell out as I fell, knowing that if I did, I'd be found and identified as the one who stole Pegasus' Millennium Eye. And I was in enough trouble already. Not to mention, the mortals were busy with Pegasus; they didn't have time for the likes of me. And it wasn't like they could save me, anyway.  
  
My arms flailed, grasping for a hold on the wall tumbling by. My efforts were to no avail; there was nothing to grab onto...  
  
Halfway down, the thought crossed my mind that I could simply force my hikari to take over his body again, and _he_ would receive the brunt of the impact, not me. The thought left my mind as quickly as it entered. _I'm much more athletic than Ryou; I'll bet he doesn't know how to fall so he doesn't receive as much damage.   
  
_Three fourths of the way down. _Besides, if he dies, who knows how long it will be before I can find a new host...?_  
  
Only an eighth of the way left. _Besides, it... wouldn't be the right thing to do._   
  
Suddenly, my hand shot out, grabbing a ledge that couldn't have been more than a foot wide, where part of a stone had broken away. I marveled at my own skill. My muscle strained as I caught, but that wasn't quite at the top of my worry list at the moment. I sighed in relief, and swung my other hand up to grasp the small ledge as well. _It seems luck and fate are on my side today..._ I thought. _I' m in possession of the Millennium Eye, and I am still alive._ I guess being sealed in a mystical object for a few thousand years alters one's perception of .  
  
I looked around for the mortals that I had seen earlier; I noticed that Pegasus' parade were currently entering another part of the castle, on the far side of the courtyard. Yugi and his group had entered the keep, or so I presumed. They weren't anywhere in sight, so where else could they be? I relaxed a bit, knowing now that I was safe from possible detection.   
  
After taking a brief moment to rest and get my bearings back, I looked down. I was only a little over fifteen feet or so from the ground; it would be an easy climb down. I didn't trust Ryou's body - or myself, for that matter - to jump. I shook my head. What a wuss I was becoming! But it was better safe than sorry, and injured pride hurt less than a broken leg or a twisted ankle. Not to mention, it wouldn't be good if Yugi's friends noticed that Ryou suddenly had a limp, when he had been perfectly healthy at the time they had left. Even they weren't _that_ dumb, unfortunately. I couldn't afford to risk it.  
  
Upon reaching the ground, massaged my sore arm, and checked my pocket (which, luckily, the blood wasn't leaking through) to make sure that my latest valuable had not sustained any damage. It was fine, of course. I put the Eye back in my pocket, and began licking the still-warm blood off of my hand as I walked back towards the Dueling arena, where I had left Mokuba...  
  


~~~~~~~~~~  


  
Eh, I lied. This chapter was _way_ longer than I expected! _Now_ the next chapter ends the Duelist Kingdom Saga. Sorry. ^_^ By the way, in the original version, there WAS blood. And a lot of it, at that. ^_^ I couldn't just leave the gory stuff out! There's a bit more gore in the next chapter, too. I'll try not to be _too_ descriptive... anyway, I _had_ to figure out a way that Yami Bakura got out of the keep before someone else noticed him. Did I do a good job of it? How'd I do with Yami Bakura's personality? As always, please review!!!


	8. The Millennium Eye, Part 4: The End For...

The Millennium Eye, Part 4: The End... For Now..._  
  
  
_ Woah, it's been forever since I updated this! Over a month! Eep, sorry! I've been swamped with work and a broken computer... Well, let's see. This chapter will conclude the Duelist Kingdom Saga; I'm going to be putting in a bit of original dialogue at the end... Anyway, like I said, after this, I'm going to start at the Shadow Realm Duel before I go on to Battle City. And if you're lucky, after that, you might see some of the Season 1 Monster World Saga, complete with the original manga dialogue! Woot!  
  
Shadi's going to be confronting Yami Bakura in this chapter. While I might be using the english names for the characters, I REFUSE to call the Ankh the . I'm calling it the Millennium Ankh, which is what it is in the Japanese version. And since it's my own bit of dialogue, it won't matter to anyone else anyway. ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: I give up... If you _still_ think that I own Yu-Gi-Oh! by this point, then Yami Yuugi must have Mind Crushed you until you went permanently demented...  
  


~~~~~~~~~~  
  


I reached Mokuba's now not-so-lifeless-body in plenty of time. The black-haired boy was still unconscious, though, which was a good break for me; I didn't feel like searching the entire palace for a 10-year-old kid, then finding a way to keep him from saying that my host hadn't been there the entire time. Luckily for Ryou, Pegasus' blood had long since disappeared from my fingers; I still failed to understand why he didn't enjoy the pleasant red liquid that marked an opponent's failure. Mortals are so fickle...  
  
Take over, Ryou. It's your body... for now, I mind-spoke to my host. Ryou came out of his soul room, trembling slightly. I doubted that he even knew what had taken place. Well, at least he couldn't spill the beans and tell Yugi and his group exactly what had happened.   
  
My soul room was as cold as ever, though I hardly noticed it as I sat down on the wooden slab that served as my bed. My arm was beginning to throb more strongly; that fall had really hurt more than I had expected it to. My host didn't seem to be in any pain, however... Massaging my sore arm, I noticed through Ryou's eyes that Mokuba was waking up. I smiled smugly to myself; I had arrived just in time.  
  
The next thing I noticed were Yugi's friends entering the balcony. _Great, the entire committee's back..._ I thought. _But... wait, where's Yugi? The holder of the Millennium Puzzle is missing..._  
  
I shook my head, trying to clear it. At the same time, I warned my other half, Not a word, Ryou... or you will regret the day you were ever born. My host nodded inwardly; I could tell he was not in the disobeying mood.   
  
After a couple of seconds, I noticed Yugi rushing up behind the others. I shrugged inwardly. Perhaps he had lingered to inspect Pegasus' sanctuary. It didn't matter, really... as long as the Puzzle was unharmed. Which it appeared to be.   
  
As Ryou and the others discussed Mokuba's health, I turned back to my arm, which was far more interesting. Noting absent-mindedly Croquet's presence, I resumed massaging my sore shoulder. I felt Ryou's eyes widen in shock as Croquet announced that Pegasus had, taken ill' however, he said nothing.   
  
I also didn't miss Croquet's statement to Yugi, You are now, officially, King of Games. I chuckled to myself. Idiot mortals... Yugi had _been_ the King of Games for a few thousand years... I wondered absently to myself if perhaps the head of security had figured out what had happened to all of his guards, or perhaps who had caused Pegasus' illness'. I shook my head. Present-day humans are exceedingly stupid, so it was doubtful.  
  
I laid down on my makeshift bed, determined to get a little rest after everything that had happened today. Despite myself, I was a bit weary...  
  
The next hour or so, in which I mainly ignored Ryou and his friends, consisted of a search for Mokuba's brother, Seto Kaiba. I wished they would hurry up; what if the blood from the Millennium Eye bled through Ryou's jeans? He would have a lot of explaining to do...  
  
When I finally read joy in Ryou's thoughts, I looked up to see the Kaiba brothers embracing. So, they had finally found each other. Joy. Perhaps _now_ we could go home.   
  
However, I must admit that I was not entirely indifferent to the situation. I felt the faintest of stirrings in my heart. Along with that, a bit of self pity; _why could I_ _not have had a mother a father, a brother to care about me?_ I mentally whacked myself over the head; I had better things to do than feel sorry for myself. My past didn't matter now. I lived in the future.  
  
As the others ran ahead to catch Kaiba's helicopter (the idiots just realized that there was no other way to get home), I allowed myself a bit of well-deserved time to gloat. Taking over Ryou's body, I pulled out the Millennium Eye, which, I noted with pleasure, was still partially drenched in wet blood. _Yugi has the championship... Joey has the money... but I hold the real prize! The Millennium Eye... and soon, I'll have Yugi's Millennium Puzzle as well!_ With that, I happily licked the blood from my newest treasure's surface, chuckling. The Millennium Eye is mine...  
  
_Yes... overall, today has gone well. I will bide my time, and take Yugi's Puzzle from him when the hour is right. I don't enjoy waiting, but I've done it for a few millennia... I can surely wait a little longer. Besides, a critical strike at the perfect time will be much more effective than a blow delivered in haste. Perhaps once we get back to Domino, I should wait a couple of months until things die down, then challenge Yugi to a friendly Duel at school-_  
  
I stepped back almost involuntarily as a portal in the ground formed at my feet. My surprise overwhelmed my curiosity, and I backed up a couple of meters. As a turbaned head rose from the ground, I did a double take; I was under the impression that the present-day mortals could not do magic. One look at what the robed man was wearing around his neck, however, and I understood. The transportation spell complete, the holder of the Millennium Ankh stood before me.  
  
I almost dropped the Millennium Eye in surprise. I didn't know who the holder of the Ankh was, nor did I really care. I _did_ wonder what he was doing, popping out of the ground right where I was standing. A fellow couldn't even gloat over his own victory privately for a moment; ugh, what had the world come to? I sighed at my bad fortune. At any other time, I would have been thrilled to see another Millennium Item pop up right in front of me, but I didn't have the time - or, regrettably, energy - for a Duel right now.   
  
The man glanced at the Millennium Item in my hand (which was still dripping in blood), and narrowed his eyes. So, it is you who are the thief... he spoke, his accent marking him from my own homeland of Egypt.   
  
I blinked. _Since when can the Ankh read minds from so far a distance...? How could that man possibly have known that I had been a thief in my past life?_  
  
I have come because of the disturbance in the Cosmic Balance, he continued. You have taken the Eye from its rightful owner-  
  
I interrupted, annoyed. I have taken nothing, as of late. Now I suggest you move; I have business to attend to.  
  
I made a move as if to brush past him, but he stepped forward, blocking my path. If you have stolen nothing, then why are you in possession of the Millennium Eye?  
  
I sighed inwardly. I _really_ didn't have time for this. I defeated Pegasus in a match for his Item. And I suggest you move out of my way before I get angry.  
  
While he didn't back away, he blinked, surprised. Then... you did not steal the Eye?  
  
No, I didn't, I snapped, walking around him. _Gosh, what an idiot... I already told him that I had stolen nothing! Doesn't anyone listen to anything in this time? Ugh, what morons..._  
  
If you do not mind, I wish to probe your mind, to see if you speak the truth, the man called from behind me.  
  
I swiveled around. I hissed, I _do_ mind. I _don't_ feel like swimming home in this pathetic excuse for a body, and if you make me miss the final helicopter out of here, you will regret ever being born. My patience has worn thin; go question the old owner of the Eye if you must know what happened. I have no time for this. With that, I stalked away. The man did not follow. At least the idiot knew what was good for him.  
  
I pocketed the Eye once more, and licked the drying blood from my fingers. I could hear the whir of the helicopter up ahead; by the steady humming of the blades and the loud whir of the engines, it had not yet taken off. Luckily for the robed man, I made it to the landing pad in time to board the flying machine. As I climbed aboard the helicopter, I relinquished control to my host, content to spend time in the Ring, carefully planning my next move.  
  
This was only the end... for now.  
  


~~~~~~~~~~  


  
^_^ Yup, it'll be awhile before I get to Battle City. I have to do the Shadow Realm Duel first! Even though it occurred before the Duelist Kingdom Castle stuff, I'm going to put it after this chapter, just so you guys don't get too confused. ^_^ Once I finish the entire Duel, though, I'll probably move it to the beginning, where it belongs...  
  
Oh, right! Yami Bakura really _does_ lick the blood off the eye like that! If you want to see a pic, click here:   
http://iquebec.ifrance.com/bakurashell/Bakura_oeil.jpg  
It's in French, but the picture's there! ^_^ L'Oeil Millénaire est à moi means, The Millennium Eye is mine. And no, the pic's not mine. It belongs to Bakura's Hell, a really cool Bakura website.  
  
Shameless advertisement! Speaking of websites, I have one now! Woot! I learned html... um, like a month ago. And I really don't know that much. But yeah, I have a site! Millennium of Darkness. The URL is:   
http://www.angelfire.com/anime4/yamibakurachan/index.html  
It's a Yu-Gi-Oh! shrine/Yami Bakura site, with original information and translations and stuff. It's a work-in-progress, but it's pretty good, if I do say so myself! *looks proud*  
  
Anyway, please review! Or I might not keep going with this...


	9. Enter the Duelist Kingdom, Part 1: Conf...

Enter the Duelist Kingdom, Part 1: Confrontation  
  
  
Yes, I finally got off of my lazy butt and decided to do the beginning of the Duelist Kingdom, the prelude to the Shadow Realm Duel. *applause* Now. IMPORTANT NOTE (kinda)!!!!  
  
I have the original manga for the Monster World saga (that takes place in the Season 1 of Yu-Gi-Oh!). Provided I'm not too lazy, I'm going to be doing Yami Bakura's thoughts for that, too. However, the entire manga is in, of course, japanese, and I'm still in the process of figuring the entire thing out. But I understand the gist of it already, which is good. SO my point for all of that is this: Ryou Bakura betrays Yami Bakura in the end, and destroys his dice (which had just rolled 0,0, the best score you can get), and Yami Bakura loses (and goes through loads of pain, thank you very much; he put part of his own spirit in his dice, so he could will them to roll well). So a bit of Yami Bakura's thoughts on that are going to bleed into the beginning of this chapter, though this is in the Duelist Kingdom Saga. Just so you won't be confused.  
  
One more thing... this is kind of... dark. Yeah. Dark. But with good reason! It'll make more sense, once I do the Monster World dialogue. (Just like me to work backwards, haha...) Very little humor at all. But it's a serious confrontation, so that's why. It doesn't fit with the rest of the story yet, but... well, whatever. It's hard to explain, if you don't know about what happened in Monster World...  
  
Disclaimer: Guess what? I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!. There's a big surprise! That's incredible. I think I'm gonna have a heart attack and _die_ from that surprise. All this time, I could have sworn...  
  


~~~~~~~~~~  


  
_ So. My host just thinks he can get rid of me, eh? He thinks that he can put me through hell more times than I can count, and that I'll finally be gone due to his valiant deeds? Bah. What. A. Clueless. Idiot. What a grade-A moron. He will soon learn, no matter how many times he betrays me, that I will never leave. He cannot truly destroy my spirit... I will endure. No matter what, I will not die. I am the Darkness; I am _his_ Darkness... I cannot die until the gates between the worlds of life and death open once again to me. And with the way things stand now... they will not be open for a long, long time. _  
  


~~~~~~~~~~  


  
The word echoed through his mind, and I knew he was surprised - and more importantly, scared. You thought that I was gone, didn't you. It was more of a statement than a question; I had read the boy's thoughts.   
  
... ... ...Why, why won't you just... leave me alone... came his response, a mere whisper.  
  
I sneered. Alone? You will never be alone, Ryou. Not from me. I sought to keep you from these friends', those that might harm you. That might harm me. Yet, for them, you betray me. And for others, they will betray you.  
  
Ryou cried, terrified at the very idea. No, they wouldn't... they would never leave me!  
  
They will, I assured. Everyone leaves everyone. Those closest to you always betray you. You would do well to remember that. But also remember, Ryou... I will not leave. I am a part of you, a part that you cannot destroy.  
  
No... no! he cried. Too late, he realized that he had spoken out loud, and that his entire math class was now staring at him, puzzled.  
  
Bakura... are you okay? Yugi asked, worried.  
  
My host sensed my mental glare. I am fine, Yugi. I just... was having trouble understanding how to work this equation. I think I've got it now, though. Thank you for your concern, but it's really all right. Ryou managed a gentle grin at the shorter boy, who shrugged and turned back to his own worksheet.  
  
After apologizing to his teacher, he turned back to face me, unable to delay our confrontation further. My friends... will not betray me. They won't! I believe in them... I'm tired of the loneliness that you've put me through, all of my life... His voice was soft; I could tell that he was trying not to enrage me. Well, it was a little too late for that.  
  
You worthless, stupid host... I hissed at him. I'm trying to _protect_ you and I from those losers! I've lived for millennia; I know the world far better than you. I have seen brother turn on brother, mother turn on child. In the end, there _is_ no love, no friendship. When you need your friends the most, they will leave you.  
  
You're wrong... you just _have_ to be wrong... my host whispered.  
  
Face the world. This is the way it is. And don't you _ever_ accuse me of being incorrect ever again. You will pay for your insolence... What makes you think you can disobey me, torture me, betray me so, and then think that I'd be willing to let it all go?  
  
Ryou's eyes widened in fear as he realized what I was planning. N-no, no, please... I-I... I...  
  
I narrowed my eyes even more. You _what_? You thought that you could get away with destroying me, as long as it worked. As long as you weren't caught. Well, you're caught, and now you must suffer your sentence.  
  
Please... oh, please... Ryou sounded so pitiful... the stupid, weakling of a mortal. I was nothing short of disgusted. In that moment, I don't think I've ever loathed anybody more - not even the Pharaoh himself.  
  
My heart had hardened to they boy's pleas. You showed me no mercy when you tried to thwart me, to cross me, to kill me. Why should I give to you what you would not give to me?  
  
He had no answer for that. You're too worthless to even spit on, I continued, my anger growing with each and every word. You serve no purpose to me dead, but there are other ways for me to get my point across.  
  
I felt him cringe and tremble, as ideas about what I was about to do filled his thoughts. In its own way, this was another kind torture... Ryou had to face the consequences of his actions. And for spineless mortals, sometimes that was the hardest thing to do. Above all things, humans fear the truth...  
  
My voice had dropped to a deadly whisper, as cold and sharp as an icy blade of steel prepared to slit a victim's throat. Let me tell you something... anything that I do to you - that I _can_ do to you - will not be even one hundredth of the pain that I felt.  
  
His eyes widened even more. By this time, I think he knew that begging was futile; he said nothing, but the tears forming in his eyes were more powerful than any words he might have spoken. I blinked away the weakness within myself; this had to be done. With deadly calm resolve, I whispered, ...Prepare yourself.  
  
With that, I closed my eyes, concentrating on the Millennium Ring. Channeling my energy through it, I reached out with the pointers - and slid them neatly under Ryou's skin, drawing blood. His soft torso pierced, he winced and shuddered slightly, but did not yell out in pain, for fear that he would be noticed.   
  
I could feel the warm flow of blood running down his skin and being absorbed into his tee-shirt under the school uniform. The uniform was dark and thick; it would not bleed through. I smiled, reading my host's tormented thoughts, _...stop... make it stop... please... maybe... should I... go and get... towels from the... ...restroom... to block the... blood...? But... if I go... he might torture... ...me even more... when I'm...alone...'_   
  
I bowed my head inwardly. Somehow, something... felt wrong. _This is what Ryou deserves..._ I reasoned with myself. _After what he did to me, this is nothing! Nothing, compared to what I've suffered..._  
  
After a moment more, I pulled the pointers from his flesh, letting them rest atop the wounds. My host's body was still shuddering. I spoke, That was nothing, Ryou. Speak one word of this to anyone, anyone at all... and you will know the _true_ meaning of pain...  
  


~~~~~~~~~~  


  
I took control of Ryou's body; strangely, he did not protest. Leaving a note on the table explaining to my host's father that his son would be out for awhile, I walked a few miles down to the city docks. I spotted the ship easily; it had a large crowd of people around it. I smiled to myself. What a setup... This wouldn't be a problem at all.  
  
When I first heard about the little tournament that as to be hosted by the creator of Duel Monsters, I became immediately interested. It had been a few weeks since Monster World; everything had fallen back into the routine. The wounds from my host's punishment had fully healed, of course; and Ryou said nothing of the entire business, as per my orders. The days had gone by slowly; I busied myself plotting world domination and all of that. But this tournament had caught my attention.  
  
For starters, just by looking at Ryou's memory, the card game of Duel Monsters was so similar to the ancient Shadow Games that I figured that there was a definite connection; in all likelihood, the creator - a man called Pegasus - had either been able to interpret the hieroglyphics on the walls correctly and had learned about the Shadow Games, or that he had played the Shadow Games themselves - in a previous life, most likely. And if he remembered this previous life of his, then he may have knowledge of the Millennium Items - amoung other things. And _that_ could be interesting.   
  
Secondly, Yugi was entering in the tournament. Enough said. I was going to get the Millennium Puzzle; I wasn't about to let it out of my sight. Not when I was this close. Yugi didn't even seem truly aware of what powers the Puzzle contained. Which was all the better for me...  
  
Problem: Ryou hadn't gotten an invitation to go to the tournament.  
  
Solution to the problem: me. Sneaking into places where I shouldn't be is my profession. Of course, I can't pass through walls anymore, but I doubted that that would be a problem. That wasn't the only way to get from point A to point B, after all.   
  
I waited in the shadows, watching the processions take place, trying not to fall asleep from boredom. After about half an hour, most of the ship's participants had boarded the ship. _At this rate, I'll have to go to plan B..._ I noted that Téa and Tristan were sneaking on board by hiding in the storage crates... _Thoth, the guards around here are so easy to trick!_  
  
Suddenly, there it was - an opening. In the form of Joey Wheeler. There he was, wrestling and screaming and carrying on at the guards to let him go. That, of course attracted most of the guards' attention - namely, the guard who checked for entry cards. The perfect chance had come. And I was more than ready.   
  
Quickly, I cut in front of the first person in line - who was too busy watching the spectacle Joey was making of himself to pay any attention to me - and ran up the gangplank to the ship. I tapped the first person I saw - who what halfway up the ramp - on the shoulder, and said, Hopefully, that would start a pleasant conversation - the purpose of which would make me look relaxed and involved with other people, which causing others to assume that I had a right to be there. (Morons.)  
  
In fact, it did. Hi! My name's Ralph. This tournament's going to be soooo exciting, don'tcha think?  
  
I blinked, trying to figure out a good response. Yes, it should be most interesting... I replied, forcing my voice to sound like Ryou's. That was way harder than it looked.   
  
By that time, we had reached the ship's deck, so I was spared from any further communication. _There's so many people on this boat, that those stupid excuses for guards won't notice that my entry was not accounted for. What dolts..._  
  
I found my way to a large cabin room filled with Duelists - most of which who were busy trading cards with each other. I sighed. Social gatherings were _not_ my element. Closing my eyes, I forced a confused Ryou back into his body.  
  
Where... are we...? he asked, somewhat timidly.  
  
We're on the way, I answered, To Duelist Kingdom.  
  


~~~~~~~~~~  


  
Wow, that first half really was pretty dark, at least for this story! *is surprised* Well, Yami Bakura IS a kind of dark character... *shrugs* Anyway, I think the second half is written more like the rest of the story... though it's kind of strange, I wrote them both at the same time. Go figure. Hm, this was a long chapter...   
  
Sorry if you didn't quite understand what Yami Bakura was yelling at Ryou about in the beginning... but in the Monster World saga, Ryou kinda screwed his yami over a few times during that game, so I think Yami Bakura has reason to be mad. It'll become clearer if/when I do the Monster World section, which I really do plan on doing... if I have time. ^_^ I dunno, do you guys even WANT me to do it? Tell me in your reviews.  
  
Oh! About the Bakura-torture thing. Right. I think that Yami Bakura truly cares about his host, even though he does kind of torment Ryou. (In the manga that I have, he actually does pierce Ryou's skin with the pointers, like I wrote. However, Ryou didn't seem to be in too much pain from this, and when Yami Bakura took over the body later (with the points still wedged in) he was running around like nobody's business, sealing souls (of this bully that had picked on Ryou earlier that day) into dolls and all that. So I don't think that it's _that_ bad. For all I know, it was necessary for Yami Bakura to take over his host at that point. I can't read the whole thing yet...) However, Yami Bakura saves Ryou from death in Battle City by taking an attack for him later, so I think he cares, at least a little. Okay... I'll stop ranting now. But I'd like to see you guys' opinion about all of this, too!  
  
Review, people! Please?


End file.
